Do not say, ’’the same old procedure’’ (and the same old folks involved), as it is not true: whatever there is, whatever comes to be, whatever arises, happens, and eventually ceases, all that is new, always new, as, apart from the distorted perceptions of our minds, nothing repeats itself!
Nevertheless, Christmas is approaching again. One Christmas
more, and, if you put it another way, one Christmas less, only, who
wants to listen to such stuff? What a bad sport! 😊
Every year, a saviour, a redeemer is born, again and again, a
monumental feast celebrated all around the world. This saviour could not save,
could not redeem humankind, and I wonder if he had ever understood that
humankind is for ever doomed to be irredeemable: humankind does not seek
redemption, salvation – or liberation / emancipation (to give this a Buddhist
twist, vimutti in Pāli).
The Buddha, on the other hand, was fully aware of this state
of affairs, and right after his enlightenment, he summed up his concerns. As a
perfectly enlightened being, he could very well see that there wouldn’t be much
use to propagate the Dhamma, and decided to stay inactive instead –
until, according to tradition (and the oldest scriptures) he could be persuaded
to teach. His teaching career lasted for forty-five years.
No, we cannot be saved, cannot be redeemed simply on the
grounds that we are all too reluctant to get engaged: yes, engaged, for
redemption takes place within, with the very saviour being as much within.
Salvation is our own job, and the Buddha offers the most pragmatic way leading
to it. Salvation – liberation, emancipation – is attainable in this very
life, here and now, given that you put faith in the most authentic,
original teachings of the Buddha preserved in southern Buddhism, and follow
them wholeheartedly. Your own salvation is in your hands, you are your own
saviour. Only you can save yourself.
There is, alas, one big obstacle to this, and you may call
it, with good reason, BIG ME. See: https://luangtavilasa.blogspot.com/2023/09/self-i-and-mine-ego-and-big-me-root-of.html
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Never
mind! Nothing is new under the sun, you would say, countering Buddhism’s niccaṁ
[pronunciation, appr., nitcham] navāva saṅkhārā, ’formations
are always new’.
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It is, after so much wilful disheartening, high time to wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, good health, cheerfulness, liberating insights, a balanced mind, and all the best for this coming 2024 which will mark, actually, my 70th (as it will be my turn now to turn seventy, and join the club! 😊), albeit it is my duty to be alert and always bear in mind a saying which was soooooooo often repeated by our teachers, both monastic and lay, accompanied by huge smiles and great laughter, at the International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University (ITBMU), Rangoon: ’’Which one comes first, tomorrow, or our next life, one never knows!’’
What’s the big deal, really … ??? 😊
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